Adjustable rail brace



J. L. BEIL.

ADJUSTABLE RAIL BRACE.

APPLIICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1921.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

c n 0 01A 1 o I} v 1 5 m M a 3 WW l o o o A II 9 & W 1 a v 7 4 M LL ByM420 ATTORNEYS stars JOHN L. BEIL, OF GALENA, ILLINOIS.

inc-recs.

ADJUSTABLE RAIL BRAGE.

Specification of Letterslatent. Paffmgntigd Fgb. 21, 11922,

Application filed June 7, 1921. Serial No. 475,682.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. BnIL, a citi- V zen of the United States,and a resident of Galena, in the county of Jo Daviess and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Adjustable RailBraces, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to railway. switch constructions, and it consistsin-the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereln described andclaimed:

7 An object .of my invention is to provide provide an adjustable bracefor a rail in a switch construction-that will have the effect of causingthe wear on a cooperating switch point being reduced to a minimum, sincethe rail is maintained in a desired position with respect to the switchpoint.

A further object of my invention'is to provide a device of the characterdescribed that can be employed in switch constructions in connectionwith standard rails and other switch parts.

Otherlobjects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the invention will be particle larly pointedout in the appended claim.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming partof this application, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of railway switchshowing the device applied,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device arranged in relation to a rail,

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device.

Fig. 4; is a top plan view of the same,

Fig. 5 is a perspective of an element of the device.

Referring now to Fig. l of the drawing, I show an ordinary switchconstruction in which rails l and 2 are secured to ties 3 by means ofspikes 4. The switch points are denoted by 5 and 6 and are connected bya switch bar 7 which has a. connection with a throw rod 8. Switch plates9 are provided betwen the rails and the supporting ties, being securedto the latter by spikes 4. Certain of the spikes 4 are arranged with theheads thereof clamping the rail flange to the switch plate to preventmovement of the rails l and 2 apart. The parts described so far areordinary in construction and form no part of my invention, except in sofar as they cooperate with the parts which will be hereinafterdescribed.

In service, the rails 1 and 2 are moved apart on account of the repeatedimpact of the switch points thereagainst and especially on account ofthe lateral thrust of the load passingtherealong. Consequently, in timethe switch points no longer contact the adjacent rails and the wear onthe switch points is thus increased, since the latter then bear theweight of the load and the ends thereof are frequently broken as theload passes from the rails to the switch points. Heretofore, it has beennecessary at frequent intervals to adjust rails 1 and 2 by returning thesame to initial positions. To accomplish this, the spikes holding therails to the ties at the switch and the spikes holding the switch platesto the ties and the rails to the switch plates must be withdrawn and newspikes used when the rails are again secured in adjusted position. lVhenmy improved device is used, not only is each rail braced againstmovement laterally, but

the rails may be returned to original 13OS1' tion with the necessity forremoving any of the fastening spikes and shifting the switch platesobviated.

A Referring now more particularly to Figures 2. 3 and 4 of the drawings,it will be noted that the device in the form now preferred by mecomprises a body portion 10 having an integral laterally extending footor base 11. The body portion 10 and the base 11 are cast or otherwiseformed of a suitable material, such as steel. The body portion 10 isfashioned with its upper face curved at 12, the inner wall 13 thereofbeing adapted to closely contact the web of the rail and the lower orunder wall 14 thereof being adapted to conform with the curvature of theupper surface of the rail base or lower flange. It will thus be observedthat the bias-e 11 has a shoulder 15 abutting the edge of the rail baseor flange when the body portion 10 has been moved into contact with theadjacent side of the rail web. The base 11 is secured with the body,portion abutting the adjacent side of the rail by means of "by anysuitable means.

spikes 16 which are driven into the underlying tie or other support toclam the body firmly against the rail. The b0 y portion 10 is formedwith a vertically extending opening 16, the wall of which contacting theweb of the rail being provided with an opening 17 in which is slidablydisposed a thrust block 18. An adjusting bolt 19 is projected through anopening 20 extending from the outer face of the body portion 10 to thebore 16. A non-rotatable retaining nut 21 engaging the bolt 19 isdisposed within the bore 16 and guides the bolt into contact with thethrust block 18 at the approximate center of the latter, whereby thethrust block '18 may be moved against the web of the rail when the head22 of the bolt is turned The base or foot of the brace may be providedwith a strengthening rib 23 merging into the body portion 10, as shown,and the body portion 10 may be cut away along its outer face at 24 and25 for the sake of economy'of material in manufacturing.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device theoperation thereof may be readily understood. The thrust block 18 ispreferably formed with a substantially hemispherical recess 26 in itsouter face at the approximate center thereof adapted to receive the endof the adjusting bolt 19, whereby the thrust of the adjusting 7 block 18against the web of the adjacent rail will be more effectivelytransmitted to the latter. The device is relatively simple inconstruction and can be manufactured cheaply. Its employment obviatesthe necessity of shifting or moving the usual switch plates in adjustingthe position of the rails 1 and 2 with respect to each otherv andthereby results in a saving of material and labor. The rails may bereadily adjusted through the agency of the bolts 19 and the thrustplates 18 when the same have been moved out of initial position andare-at all times pressed against movement on account of presses receivedin service tending to move the same laterally and in oppositedirections. I claim: A device of the character described comprising abody portion having an integral base adapted to be secured to a railsupport to clamp the body portion securely against tion.

JOHN L. BElL.

